Parents can sharpen their math skills at Sylvan seminar

If you're struggling to keep up with your child's math homework, Sylvan Learning Center has just the program for you.

Normally Sylvan helps tutor students struggling with their homework.

Now, it's your turn, parents. If you sweat at the thought of doing algebra, or freak at fractions, they're offering you some free help.

This month, Sylvan is holding a free forgotten math seminar for parents at their Randall Road locations in Algonquin and South Elgin, and at their spot east of Randall on Tyler Road in St. Charles.

Kristina Donnelly, center director of the South Elgin Sylvan, said her center is seeing more and more students come in for help with math.

Many of the parents say they want to help their kids with the homework, but it's just too far over their heads, she said.

So Sylvan decided to offer the refresher course.

At the seminar, parents will travel from station to station doing a fun, interactive review of some of the math they may have forgotten.

Generally, the seminars are geared toward parents of middle school and high school math students, but anyone can come, Donnelly said.

"It's for anyone who feels like they need a refresher course," Donnelly said.

Some of the topics covered will be algebra, graphing, using scientific calculators, integers, fractions and more.

Each station will be staffed by Sylvan's certified instructors, she said.

"We are hoping that this will just spark something in the parents, help them remember, help them feel more confident that they can help and get them back to being more involved with the school work," Donnelly said.

If the seminars this month are successful, she said, Sylvan is hoping to offer more this spring.

Algonquin's seminar will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 21, at 2312 Esplanade Dr. For information call (847) 854-4436.

The seminar at the South Elgin location, 586 Randall Road, will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, March 22. For information, call (847) 841-1771.

The St. Charles location, at 525 Tyler Road, will hold its seminar at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 24. For information, call (630) 584-1771.

Helping others and yourself: If you bring in your gently-used jackets or dress pants to Coldwater Creek in Algonquin Commons or Geneva Commons through Monday, March 16, you'll get a 35 percent discount on any similar items.

The donations you bring in will be given to local nonprofit organizations working to help women who are in need to succeed.

There is one discount available per customer.

Anniversary eats: Come & Dish in Algonquin is celebrating its third anniversary.

To celebrate that anniversary, the independently-owned meal preparation business will be featuring favorites from the past years on its March menu. After that, get ready to enjoy lots of new menu items this coming year.

To try to get your favorite on the list, e-mail shelly@comeanddish.com.

• Amy Williams' column covers all the news of business along the Randall Road corridor from Batavia to Crystal Lake. Contact her at (847) 894-5036 or by e-mail at randallbiz@comcast.net.